Rising student fees are a continuing source of concern for Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. But as he told the audience at an Oct. 1 brown bag chat in Sacramento, he sees no way around them in the immediate future.

Vanderhoef discussed student fees in response to a question from third-year UC Davis medical student Noé Gutierrez, who asked the chancellor for his view on what the future holds for medical students in light of the UC Board of Regents' recent approval of a fee increase.

"There is not a single chancellor that isn't concerned about the fee increase," Vanderhoef said.

He said that public universities like UC Davis are finding it more difficult than ever to compete with private schools, which typically have more funding for research, faculty recruitment and retention, and student scholarships.

"The fee increase seems like the only solution to the problem right now," he said. "Unfortunately, it's not just with the School of Medicine. The veterinary and law schools are also affected."

Vice Chancellor and School of Medicine Dean Claire Pomeroy, also in attendance, mentioned that increasing the school's scholarship endowment has become a top focus.

"UC Davis leadership is very concerned about the fee increase, especially because the average debt upon graduation for medical students is now $106,000," she said. "Philanthropy is a big part of the solution."

Pomeroy explained that private donations like the recent $6 million estate gift from the late donor Oma Davis will help build a base for scholarship support at UC Davis.

During the discussion, Vanderhoef also talked about the Fall Convocation, the new school of nursing and the university's upcoming centennial celebration.

At this year's Fall Convocation, the theme "Finding — and Being — the Inspiration" seemed to resonate with the audience, said Vanderhoef. He was especially inspired by the stories of five campus community members who described their own sources of inspiration.

Vanderhoef noted that the convocation was attended by several first-year students who are at UC Davis as part of the "Reservation for College" program, which encourages students and their families to believe that college is a realistic goal. Nine years ago, Vanderhoef met the then-fourth-grade students and pledged to help defray their costs of attending the university if they studied hard and met admissions requirements.

Vanderhoef recapped his excitement about the summer announcement of the proposed Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. He said the unprecedented $100 million grant took many in the audience by surprise at the July 31 press conference.

"When Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation President Ed Penhoet announced the amount, there was a pause and then a gasp from the audience," he said. "Then everyone erupted into a tremendous applause. How proud it made me feel to be part of that historic moment and such a wonderful institution."

In regard to the university's upcoming centennial celebration, kicking off next year, Vanderhoef said that the observance "will be a time not only to celebrate the past, but also UC Davis' current success and our bright future." He noted that UC Davis Health System occupies a "very important part of UC Davis' 100-year history, and it will be a major part of its future."

Later during the session, Vanderhoef turned the tables and asked questions of some in attendance.

Senior Associate Director Shelton Duruisseau described a smoke-free initiative that will ban smoking at UC Davis Health System beginning July 1, 2008. Responding to the chancellor's question about whether there will be a negative reaction to the initiative, Duruisseau acknowledged future challenges but said a survey conducted of employees about the issue "indicated that people welcome the change."

Carol Robinson, senior associate director of Patient Care Services, noted a "big push" for patient safety at the health system, citing a study that shows that nurses are a big part of keeping patients safe.

"The new school of nursing will be key in our initiative to improve patient safety at UC Davis Health System," Robinson said.

Reflecting on his many trips to the Sacramento campus, Vanderhoef said that he is amazed by the progress he sees each visit.

"The health system is such an important part of UC Davis," he said. "How proud we can all be of the high-quality institution UC Davis Health System has become. All of you have made the institution what it is today, and I thank every one of you for your hard work to make that happen."

Michelle Silva is a senior public information officer for the UC Davis Health System.